JP4976219B2 - Method, apparatus and machine readable medium for determining whether the configuration state of a document processing apparatus has changed - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to processing electronic documents in a secure manner.

  The approaches described in this section are traceable approaches, but not necessarily approaches that have been considered or tracked in the past. Thus, unless otherwise noted, any approach described in this section should not be assumed to be considered prior art simply because it is included in this section.

  A document processing device is any device that processes a hard copy of a document or an electronic copy of a document. The document processing device may create a hard copy of the document based on an electronic copy of the document or based on another hard copy of the document. The document processing apparatus may also create an electronic copy of the document based on another electronic copy of the document or based on a hard copy of the document. Non-limiting specific examples of the document processing apparatus include a printer, a scanner, a facsimile machine, a copying machine, and a multi-function peripheral (MFP).

  In environments where document processing devices may be used, it may be required or at least desired to ensure some degree of security. For example, a document processing device may process a document that contains important information that needs to be restricted in access. The document processing device may be deployed in an environment. In that environment, in addition to confirming that an operation has been performed, it is desirable to monitor the operational status of how the document processing device is used.

  An object of the present invention is to safely process electronic documents.

  In the following, an approach for processing electronic processing in a secure manner is described. In one form, the client verifies that the configuration state of the document processing device has not changed from the previous configuration state. For example, an administrator may register a document processing device with a security server. Thereafter, since the document processing apparatus is registered with the security server, the client issues a request to the security server so as to check whether the configuration state of the document processing apparatus has changed. The configuration state of the document processing device reflects some way in which the document processing device was constructed, for example, the configuration state of the document processing device may include the security state of the document processing device. In this way, the client verifies that the security configuration of the document processing device has not changed since the document processing device was registered with the security server. This provides the client with a guarantee that the security of the document processing device has not been breached.

  In another form, a security server may be used to confirm that an event has occurred. For example, to confirm that a specific client has issued a request to process a specific electronic document to a specific document processing device, or a specific document processing device processes a specific electronic document from a specific client A security server may be used to confirm that the request has been received.

In a further form, the storage media of the document processing device may be protected from unauthorized access. A password used to control access to the storage medium is stored in a document processing device at a location separate from the storage medium. The storage medium requires receiving a password for accessing the storage medium. When starting up the document processing apparatus, a password is provided from the document processing apparatus to the storage medium regardless of user input, and the document processing apparatus is allowed to access the storage medium. Since the storage medium requires that a password be received for access to the storage medium, the storage medium cannot be accessed if the storage medium is removed from the document processing device without authentication.
A method according to one aspect is
A method for determining whether a configuration state of a document processing apparatus has changed,
Receiving from the document processing device first state data describing a first configuration state of the document processing device;
Transmitting a request for second state data to the document processing device in response to receiving a request from the requester to confirm that the configuration state of the document processing device has not changed from the first configuration state. When,
Receiving the second state data describing a second configuration state of the document processing device from the document processing device, wherein the second state data is received after receiving the first state data; ,
Comparing the first state data and the second state data and checking whether the first state data and the second state data specify the same configuration state of the document processing apparatus;
Transmitting a message to the request source indicating whether the configuration state of the document processing apparatus has changed from the first configuration state based on a comparison of the first state data and the second state data. When,
If the configuration state of the document processing apparatus has changed from the first configuration state, it is not permitted to issue a request to process the electronic document to the document processing apparatus, and the electronic document is processed. The method is proposed to the user to issue the request to the other document processing apparatus.

  Embodiments of the invention are described by way of non-limiting illustration in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals relate to like elements.

  In the following detailed description for purposes of explanation, various specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the invention discussed herein. However, it will be apparent that embodiments of the invention described herein may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments of the invention discussed herein.

<System overview>
In the following, various approaches for processing electronic documents in a secure manner will be described. According to one approach, the client may confirm that the configuration state of the document processing device has not changed since the document processing device was registered with the security server. As will be described in more detail below, each embodiment of the present invention implements the functions performed by the security server differently.

  FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating an example system 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The system of FIG. 1A includes clients 110 and 112, document processing devices 120 and 122, a security server 130, and communication links 150, 152 and 154.

  As used herein, a client, such as clients 110 and 112, represents any device that can issue a request to process a document to a document processing device via communication link 150. Non-limiting examples of clients include software applications, personal computers (PCs), wireless devices and cellular phones. Although only two clients are depicted in FIG. 1A for simplicity of explanation, the system 100 may include any number of clients, including one client and multiple clients.

  As used herein, document processing devices such as document processing devices 120 and 122 represent any device that processes hard copies of documents or electronic copies of documents. Non-limiting specific examples of the document processing apparatus include a printer, a scanner, a facsimile machine, a copier, and a multifunction peripheral (MFP). Although only two document processing devices are depicted in FIG. 1A for simplicity of explanation, the system 100 may include any number of document processing devices, including one document processing device and multiple document processing devices. It's okay.

  Security server 130 represents a device capable of (a) communicating with a client via communication link 154 and (b) communicating with a document processing device via communication link 152. Security server 130 is configured to perform security functions. For example, the security server 130 receives a request from a client and checks whether the configuration state of the specific document processing apparatus has been changed since the specific document processing apparatus was registered in the security server 130. The security server 130 is used to confirm that an operation (activity) executed by the system 100, for example, an operation in which a client issues a request to process a document to a document processing apparatus, has been performed. Also good. Operations performed by the security server 130 will be described in detail later.

  Communication link 150 may be implemented by any medium or means for exchanging data between a client and a document processing device. The communication link 152 may be implemented by any medium or means for exchanging data between the document processing apparatus and the security server. Communication link 154 may be implemented by any medium or means for exchanging data between a client and a security server. Specific examples of communication links 150, 152, and 154 include networks such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), an Ethernet or the Internet, one or more terrestrial, satellite or wireless links, etc. It is not limited.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, the functions performed by the security server 130 may be performed by a device physically connected to the document processing device. FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating an example system according to such an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1B, the security module 168 may be implemented with a pluggable device 166 that is physically connected (or plugged in) to the document processing device 164 via a communication link 170. The security module 168 corresponds to functional elements such as a group of executable software instructions in the pluggable device 166 and performs the functions described herein as executed on the security server 130. Although FIG. 1B shows a pluggable device 166 physically connected to one document processing device, in other embodiments of the invention, the pluggable device 166 is physically connected to two or more document processing devices. May be connected.

  In another embodiment of the present invention, the functions executed by the security server 130 may be realized by a client. FIG. 1C is a block diagram illustrating an example system 180 according to such an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1C, the security module 186 is in the client 182. The security module 186 corresponds to functional elements such as a group of executable software instructions in the client 182 and is configured to perform the functions described herein as being executed on the security server 130. In other embodiments of the present invention (not shown), the security module 186 may be implemented on the document processing device 184.

  A process according to one embodiment for verifying the configuration status of a document processing device using some of the described example systems is described below.

<Check the configuration status of the document processing device>
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing functional steps for confirming whether the configuration state of the printing apparatus has been changed. For simplicity of explanation, the following functional steps of FIG. 2 are described with reference to FIG. 1A. However, in other embodiments of the present invention, the functions performed by the security server 130 may instead be implemented with a security module that resides on a pluggable device, client, or document processing device.

  In step 210, first state data describing a first configuration state of the document processing apparatus is received. A user, such as an administrator, may wish to register a particular document processing device with the security server 130. The act of registering a particular document processing device with the security server 130 includes extracting first state data from the particular document processing device and storing the first state data in the security server 130. From the point of view of a specific example, the steps of FIG. 2 relate to receiving in step 210 first state data describing a first configuration state of document processing device 120.

  The administrator or administrator sends a request to register the document processing apparatus 120 to the security server 130 using the client 112. In response to the security server 130 receiving this request, the security server 130 sends a request for the first state data to the document processing apparatus 120. After the document processing device 120 receives the first status data request from the security server 130, the document processing device 120 prepares the first status data and transmits the first status data to the security server 130.

  The first status data may describe any configuration status of the document processing device 120. For example, the first status data may describe the security status of the document processing apparatus 120. In other words, the first status data may identify a method, which is a method in which the security settings of the document processing device 120 are established when the document processing device 120 is registered with the security server 130. is there.

  In one embodiment, the document processing apparatus 120 may generate first state data using a hash function and / or a seed, and obtain a hash value to be used as the first state data. Such an approach may be advantageous as it results in some encryption of the first state data. This is because the current configuration of the document processing apparatus 120 cannot be determined from examining the hash value. In such an embodiment, (a) checking a group of configuration information describing the configuration state of the document processing device, (b) hashing the configuration information using a hash function and / or seed, and hashing The first status data may be generated by the document processing device 120 performing the determination of the value and (c) using the hash value as the first status data. The hash function and / or seed is a request for first state data sent from the security server 130 and may be provided to the document processing device in another message from the security server 130, or the administrator may provide a hash value or seed. May be provided to the document processing apparatus 120. If the security server 130 does not provide the hash function and / or seed to the document processing device 120, the hash function and / or seed used to encrypt the first state data may also be stored in the security server 130. .

  Instead of or in addition to encrypting the first state data using a hash function, the document processing device 120 may further encrypt the first state using other approaches. For example, the first status data may be encrypted by the document processing device 120 using a public key associated with the security server 130. Thereafter, the first state data is decrypted by the security server 130 using a private key associated with the security server 130. After the security server 130 receives the first status data, the process proceeds to step 220.

  In step 220, a request for second state data is transmitted from the security server 130 to the document processing device 120. In response to the client 110 sending a request to the security server 130 to confirm that the configuration state of the document processing apparatus 120 has not changed since the document processing apparatus 120 was registered with the security server 130, The request is executed. Even if a request for confirming the configuration state of the document processing apparatus 120 is automatically transmitted from the client 110 after the occurrence of an event (for example, when the client is turned on) or at the request of the user of the client 110, Good. Such a request is advantageous in ensuring that a particular document processing device (a document processing device that the client wishes to send a request to process an electronic document) is secure. As described above, when the configuration state of a specific document processing apparatus has changed since the document processing apparatus was registered in the security server 130, the client 110 or the user of the client 110 has registered the configuration state. Since then, it can be confirmed that it is dangerous to issue a request to process the electronic document to the document processing device; as a result, another document processing device is selected by the client 110 or by the user of the client 110. A service may be provided for a request to process an electronic document.

  The second state data describes the second configuration state of the document processing apparatus 120. The second configuration state described by the second state data corresponds to the current configuration state of the document processing apparatus 120.

  In one embodiment, the request for second state data sent from security server 130 at step 220 is encrypted. For example, the security server 130 may encrypt the request at step 220 using a public key associated with the document processing device 120. Upon receipt of the request at step 220, the document processing device 120 can decrypt the request using the private key associated with the document processing device 120. When the second status data request is transmitted from the security server 130 to the document processing apparatus 120, the process proceeds to step 230.

  In step 230, the second status data from the document processing apparatus 120 is received by the security server 130. In one embodiment, the second state data may be encrypted by the document processing device 120 using the same techniques described in connection with encrypting the first state data. For example, the second state data may be encrypted (a) using a hash function and / or seed and / or (b) using a public key associated with the security server. Thereafter, the processing proceeds to step 240.

  In step 240, the first state data received in step 210 and the second state data received in step 230 are compared by the security server 130, and whether or not the first state data and the second state data are in the same configuration state. Confirm. If the first state data and the second state data are in the same configuration state, the configuration state of the document processing device 120 has not changed since the document processing device 120 was registered. However, if the first state data and the second state data are not in the same configuration state, the configuration state of the document processing device 120 has changed since the document processing device 120 was registered. If the configuration state of the document processing apparatus 120 has changed since it was registered in the security server 130, the security of the document processing apparatus 120 may be reduced as a result of the configuration change.

  If the configuration state of the document processing device 120 has not changed since it was registered with the security server 130, the first state data and the second state data match. For example, when the first state data and the second state data are created using a hash function and / or a seed, the hash values of the first state data and the second state data are the same. This is because the configuration state used to generate the hash value in each case is the same. However, if the configuration state has changed since the document processing device 120 was registered with the security server 130, the second state is different because the input to the hash function used to generate the hash value is different in each case. The hash value of the data is different from the hash value of the first state data. After the first state data and the second state data are compared, the process proceeds to step 250.

  In step 250, a message indicating whether the configuration state of the document processing apparatus 120 has changed is transmitted from the security server 130 to the client 110. In one embodiment, when client 110 receives a message, client 110 presents the message to a user of client 110 so that the user of client 110 can perform some action. For example, the user may then direct the client 110 to issue a request to process the electronic document to the document processing device, or issue a request to process the electronic document to a different document processing device. The client 110 may be ordered.

  In other embodiments, client 110 may interpret the message in step 250 and perform some action without presenting the message to the user. For example, in one embodiment, if the client 110 reads the message of step 250 and indicates that the configuration status of the document processing device 120 has changed, a request to process the electronic document is sent to the client 110. Proposal that the user of the client 110 does not allow the user to issue to the document processing device 120 and / or issues a request for processing the electronic document to other document processing devices other than the document processing device 120 You may show to the user of the client 110. FIG.

  Advantageously, the client may check whether the configuration state of the document processing device has changed since the document processing device was registered with the security server. In this way, the client can confirm whether there is a potential security risk due to a change in the configuration state of the document processing apparatus. If the client confirms that the configuration state of the document processing device has changed since the document processing device was registered, the client may perform one or more operations as described above.

<Confirm that the document processing device has received a request to process an electronic document>
In another approach for processing electronic documents in a secure manner, a specific document processing device may be confirmed to have received a request from a specific client to process a specific electronic document. FIG. 3 is a flowchart according to one embodiment of the present invention showing functional steps for confirming that a document processing device has received a request to process an electronic document from a particular client. For simplicity of explanation, the following functional steps of FIG. 3 are described with reference to FIG. 1A. To clarify the specific example, the steps of FIG. 3 will be described in connection with confirming that the document processing device 122 has received a request from the client 110 to process the document ABC.

  In step 310, receipt confirmation data from the document processing apparatus 122 is received by the security server 130. Each time the document processing apparatus receives a request for processing an electronic document from the client, the document processing apparatus transmits receipt confirmation data to the security server 130. The receipt confirmation data is data indicating that there is a request for processing a specific electronic document by a specific document processing device (request from a specific client) received by the specific document processing device. It shows that. Thus, the receipt confirmation data received in step 310 of this embodiment indicates that the document processing apparatus 122 has received a request from the client 110 for processing the document ABC by the document processing apparatus 122. In some embodiments, it may also include other information about the request received by the acknowledgment data document processor, for example, the acknowledgment data may include a time stamp when the request was received.

  In one embodiment, document processor 122 generates receipt confirmation data and includes information identifying (a) document processor 122, (b) client 110, and (c) document ABC. Information included in the receipt confirmation data for identifying the document ABC may be generated by the document processing apparatus by generating a hash value by applying a hash function to the document ABC.

  In one embodiment, document processing device 122 may encrypt the receipt confirmation data using any data encryption that security server 130 can decrypt. For example, the document processing device 122 may encrypt the receipt confirmation data using a public key associated with the security server 130, and the security server 130 may decrypt the receipt confirmation data using a private key associated with the security server 130.

  In one embodiment, the acknowledgment data may include an encrypted copy of the document ABC. As will be described in more detail below, the encrypted copy of the document ABC is used by the security server 130 in subsequent verifications to verify that there is a request for the document processor 122 to process the document ABC. Confirm that it has been received from, and confirm the contents of the document ABC. In other embodiments, the document processing device 122 waits to send acknowledgment data to the security server 130 for a configurable period of time, or a configurable number of requests that require processing of the document is document processing device 122. The document processing apparatus 122 waits until the receipt confirmation data is transmitted to the security server 130 until the receipt confirmation data is received from the document processing apparatus 122 in a batch process or a single communication. It is transmitted to the server 130. When the receipt confirmation data is received from the document processing device 122, the process proceeds to step 320.

  In step 320, request confirmation data from the client is received by the security server 130. The request confirmation data is data indicating that the request confirmation data indicates that a specific client has issued a request for processing a specific electronic document to a specific document processing apparatus. Thus, in this embodiment, the request confirmation data received in step 320 indicates that the client 110 has issued a request for processing the document ABC to the document processing apparatus 122. In response to issuing a request to process the document identified by the request confirmation data, the client 110 may send the request confirmation data to the security server 130. In other words, each time the client issues a request for processing a document to the document processing apparatus, the client may send request confirmation data to the security server 130. In some embodiments, the request confirmation data may include other information regarding the request to process the document (request issued by the client). For example, the request confirmation data may include a time stamp when the request is issued.

  In one embodiment, client 110 generates request confirmation data to include information identifying (a) document processing device 122, (b) client 110, and (c) document ABC. Information included in the request confirmation data for identifying the document ABC may be generated by the client 110 by generating a hash value by applying a hash function to the document ABC. In such an approach, the hash function used by client 110 is the same hash function used by document processor 122. As a result, the hash value calculated by the client 110 to identify the document ABC is the same as the hash value calculated by the document processing apparatus to identify the document ABC.

  The client 110 may encrypt the request confirmation data using any data encryption that the security server 130 can decrypt. For example, the client 110 may encrypt the request confirmation data using a public key associated with the security server 130, and the security server 130 may decrypt the request confirmation data using a private key associated with the security server 130. When the security server receives the request confirmation data, the process proceeds to step 330.

  In step 330, the security server 130 checks whether the receipt confirmation data and the request confirmation data match the request for processing the electronic document. Although the security server 130 may perform this confirmation by checking the receipt confirmation data and the request confirmation data, it is not essential to decrypt the receipt confirmation data and the request confirmation data before the inspection.

  The comparison of step 330 may be performed in various different approaches in various embodiments. In one approach, all receipt confirmation data groups and all request confirmation data groups received at the security server may be stored by the security server 130 for a configurable period of time. Upon receipt of the receipt confirmation data, the security server 130 may confirm whether or not a group of request confirmation data for identifying a request that matches the receipt confirmation data has been received. Similarly, when receiving the request confirmation data, the security server 130 may confirm whether or not a group of receipt confirmation data for identifying a request that matches the request confirmation data has been received. In another approach, upon receipt of receipt confirmation data or request confirmation data, the security server 130 waits for a configurable period of time before receiving a corresponding set of receipt confirmation data or request confirmation data, The time is sufficiently extended so that the receipt confirmation data or the request confirmation data is received by the security server 130.

  In an embodiment in which the receipt confirmation data and the request confirmation data are stored in the security server 130 for a configurable period, the client issues a request to the security server 130 to confirm that there is a request that the client processes the document Some time after issuing a request to the device, the document processing device asks for confirmation that it has received a request to process an electronic document. In order to confirm whether or not the document processing apparatus has received the request, the client may issue a request (confirmation request). The confirmation request from the client includes information for identifying a specific request to be confirmed. For example, the request may include request confirmation data. The security server 130 confirms whether any stored receipt confirmation data identifies the same request (request for processing the electronic document) as the request for processing the electronic document identified by the confirmation request. Also good.

  In one embodiment, if the document processing device 122 sends an encrypted copy of the electronic document ABC to the security server 130 as part of the receipt confirmation data, the security server between the receipt confirmation data, the request confirmation data, and the server confirmation data. 130 may make three comparisons. The server confirmation data is data generated by the security server 130 from a copy of the document received from the document processing apparatus 120. For example, if each of the receipt confirmation data and the request confirmation data includes a hash value that identifies the document ABC, the security server 130 may apply a hash function to the document ABC to generate its own hash value. The security server 130 compares the hash value included in the receipt confirmation data, the hash value included in the request confirmation data, and the hash value generated by the security server 130 to ensure that each identifies the same document. To do. When the comparison of step 330 is performed, the process proceeds to step 340.

  In step 340, confirmation data indicating whether the document processing apparatus 122 has received a request for processing the document ABC from the client 110 is transmitted from the security server 130 to the client 110. Advantageously, the security server 130 has received a request from a client processing a document automatically or upon request after the security server 130 has received receipt confirmation data or request confirmation data. 130 confirms with the client 110.

  Further, if the document processing device 122 sends an encrypted copy of the document ABC to the security server 130 as part of the receipt confirmation data, the security server 130 may store the electronic document for a configurable period of time. Good. As such, in response to receiving a request for an electronic document and / or in response to a confirmation request, the security server 130 may provide a copy of the electronic document to the requester.

  In one embodiment, in addition to verifying that a specific document processing device has received a specific request for processing an electronic document from a specific client, to obtain other information about the request to process the document, It may be used when serving a request from a client stored in the security server 130. The other information may be, for example, when a specific document processing device receives a specific request from a specific client to process a specific electronic document. An approach has been described for checking whether a document processing device has received a specific request to process an electronic document. Hereinafter, a technique for confirming whether a client has issued a specific request for processing an electronic document will be described.

<Confirm that the client has issued a request to process the electronic document to the document processing device>
According to another approach for securely processing electronic documents, it may be verified that a request to process a specific electronic document (a request from a specific client) has been issued to a specific document processing device. FIG. 4 is a flowchart according to one embodiment of the present invention showing the functional steps for confirming that a client has requested that an electronic document be processed by a particular document processing device. For simplicity of explanation, the functional steps of FIG. 4 are described below with reference to FIG. 1A. To simplify the example, the steps of FIG. 4 are described in connection with confirming that the client 110 issues a request to process the document ABC to the document processing device 122.

  Steps 410, 420 and 430 in FIG. 4 are the same as those described in steps 310, 320 and 330 in FIG. After execution of step 430, the process proceeds to step 440.

  In step 440, confirmation data is sent from the security server 130 to another entity (eg, the document processing device 122) indicating that the client 110 has requested the document processing device 122 to process the document ABC. In this way, another entity such as the document processing device 122 may confirm that the client 110 has issued a request to process the document ABC (a request received by the document processing device 122). The document processing apparatus 122 may store the received confirmation data over a settable period. As described above, the document processing apparatus 122 may prove the identity of the client that transmitted the request to the document processing apparatus 122. Document processor 122 may provide a user, such as an administrator, with some means of allowing the user access to certain information. The information is information about the client issuing a request to the document processing apparatus 122 and about the request.

  Furthermore, the client 122 may issue a request to the security server 130 to confirm that the client 110 has issued a specific request to the document processing apparatus 122. In this manner, another client may issue a request to the security server 130 to confirm that the client has issued a specific request for processing an electronic document to a specific document processing apparatus. Such a request may be required to receive some authorization or be authenticated before the request is processed by the security server 130.

  In one embodiment, in addition to confirming that a particular client has issued a particular request to a document processor, certain information stored in security server 130 is used to provide a service for the request. The request is a request from the client to the document processing apparatus that checks the additional information such as when the specific client issues the specific request and processes the document.

  An approach has been described for checking whether a document processing device has received a specific request to process an electronic document. Hereinafter, a technique for confirming whether a client has issued a specific request for processing an electronic document will be described.

<Protect the storage media of the printing device>
According to another approach for securely processing electronic documents, the storage medium of the document processing device may be protected from unauthorized access. FIG. 5 is a flowchart according to an embodiment of the present invention showing functional steps for protecting the storage medium of the document processing apparatus. For clarity of explanation, the steps of FIG. 5 are described below with reference to FIG. 6, which is a block diagram of a document processing apparatus 610 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

  The document processing apparatus 610 includes a protected storage medium (protected storage medium) 620 and a password storage medium 630. The protected storage medium 620 represents persistent storage of the document processing device 610 and is used to store confidential information such as information about electronic documents that have been processed by the document processing device 610. May be. Non-limiting examples of protected storage media include hard drives.

  Password storage medium 630 represents persistent storage of document processing device 610 that may be used to store password 632. Any means for permanently storing data may be used to implement password storage medium 630, but the capacity of password storage medium 630 should be large enough to allow permanent storage of password 632. That's fine. A non-limiting specific example of the password storage medium 630 is a flash memory. Since the password 632 may be stored by the BIOS of the document processing apparatus 610, the password storage medium 630 may be realized as a storage medium for storing the BIOS of the document processing apparatus 610.

  Password 632 may be implemented using any data that may be used to control access to the storage medium.

  In step 510 of FIG. 5, password 632 is permanently stored separately from the protected storage medium. For example, the password 632 may be stored in the password storage medium 630.

  In step 520, protected storage medium 620 is set to require receipt of password 632 to access protected storage medium 620. As a result of setting the protected storage medium 620 to require the receipt of the password 632 to access the protected storage medium 620, the entity may not access the protected storage medium 620 without providing the protected storage medium 620 with the password 632. become unable.

  In one embodiment, protected storage medium 620 may be implemented using an advanced technology attachment (ATA) hard drive. The ATA hard drive may include a hard drive controller provided in the ATA hard drive. The drive controller of the ATA hard drive may be configured to require receipt of a password for accessing the ATA hard drive. Thus, at step 520, the ATA hard drive controller may be instructed to request receipt of the password 632 to allow access to the protected storage medium 620.

  In one embodiment, in response to receiving a power down request, the document processor 610 requires the protected storage medium 620 to receive a password 632 to access the protected storage medium. It may be set automatically. In this way, the protected storage medium 620 is “locked”, and if the protected storage medium 620 is removed from the document processing apparatus 610 before the document processing apparatus 610 is turned on, the password 632 is protected to access the protected storage medium 620. It must be presented on the storage medium 620.

  In step 530, when the document processing apparatus 610 is turned on, the document processing apparatus 610 gives the password 632 to the protected storage medium 620 regardless of the user input, and “unlocks” the protected storage medium 620. When the document processing apparatus 610 gives the password 632 to the protected storage medium 620 that is turned on, the document processing apparatus 610 can access the protected storage medium 620.

  Advantageously, in embodiments of the present invention, powering down the document processing device 610 is used to “lock” the protected storage medium 620 to prevent unauthorized access to the protected storage medium 620. Since the protected storage medium 620 is locked and unlocked without requiring any input or intervention from the user, the protection of the protected storage medium 620 is transparent to the user of the document processing device 610 (awareness). You don't have to). When important information is stored in the protected storage medium 620 or when the protected storage medium 620 is removed when the power of the document processing apparatus 610 is turned off, the protected storage medium 620 is provided unless a password 632 is given. Cannot be accessed, thus providing some security that important information stored on the protected storage medium 620 cannot be accessed by unauthorized persons.

  In one embodiment, the password used to control access to protected storage medium 620 may be changed each time document processing device 610 is powered on. In such an embodiment, when the document processing device 610 is turned on, a new password is generated that is used to restrict access to the protected storage medium 620. Thereafter, (a) requesting the receipt of a new password to allow access to the protected storage medium 620 and (b) no longer accepting past passwords to permit access to the protected storage medium 620. The protected storage medium 620 is constructed so that it is not necessary.

  In one embodiment, a master password may be used. The master password is a password that allows the protected storage medium 620 to grant access rights to the protected storage medium 620. The drive controller of the protected storage medium 620 may be configured to allow access to the protected storage medium 620 when a master password is given. Thus, if the administrator of the document processing device 610 has to access the protected storage medium 620, the administrator may access the protected storage medium 620 along with the master password. Such an embodiment is advantageous. This is because the password 632 may be changed every time the document processing apparatus 610 is turned on as described above. Thus, if the document processing device 610 fails to extract the password 632 from the password storage medium 630 or if a problem occurs, the administrator accesses the protected storage medium 620 using the master password. Also good. Thus, even if the password 632 is not extracted from the protected storage medium 620, the administrator still has access to the protected storage medium 620 using the master password.

  In one embodiment, the administrator may set the operation of the protected storage medium 620 by providing a master password to the drive controller of the protected storage medium 620. One way for an administrator to set protected storage medium 620 is (a) does not allow any entity other than document processing device 610 to read data from protected storage medium 620, but (b) stores in protected storage medium 620. The erasure of used data is allowed. Such a setting may be used when it is not necessary to restore the data stored in the protected storage medium 620. For example, many document processing devices may only store documents for processing purposes and may not allow subsequent extraction from other devices of the stored documents.

<Inquiry about user job status>
In one embodiment, a message for obtaining information about the job status may be sent to the document processing apparatus. A user's job status as referred to herein generally relates to information about a request to process an electronic document (a request presented by a user to a document processing device). The user's job status may include information about a request that is currently being processed by the document processing apparatus, or may include information about a request that has already been processed by the document processing apparatus. In this way, the user may search for information about a request for processing an electronic document (a request transmitted by the user to the document processing apparatus in the past). In one embodiment, non-administrator users may only query for their job status.

  In order to explain the operation of the embodiment of the present invention, the user may first send a status inquiry message to the document processing apparatus 120 using the client 110. The status inquiry message includes identity information about the user that uniquely identifies the user, for example, the identity information may include a user name or other unique identifier. Further, the status inquiry message may identify a request inserted by the user when receiving status information. The status inquiry message may distinguish that the user only wants to receive status information for requests that are in the process of processing or requests that the user has sent within a limited period of time.

  When the status inquiry message is received, the document processing apparatus 120 receives the user status information according to the status inquiry message. In one embodiment, the document processing device 120 uses the identity information included in the status inquiry message to retrieve a record (record) that includes the requested status information, and the record is stored in the document processing device 120 or a security server. 130 may be stored. After retrieving the record that includes the requested status information, the document processing apparatus 120 transmits the record that includes the requested status information to the client 110. The client 110 may display a record including the requested status information to the user.

  In one embodiment, the record containing the status information may be stored in encrypted form (either on the document processing device 120 or on the security server 130), eg, the record is encrypted using the user's public key, and the user May decrypt the record using their private key. In an alternative embodiment, document processor 120 may encrypt the record containing the requested status information before returning the record to the user. Other techniques for encrypting records may be used in other embodiments of the invention.

  In one embodiment, the administrator may query any user's job status. For example, the administrator may send a status inquiry message to the document processing device and request a job status for any number of users (may include more than one user). Thus, an administrator may inquire about the job status of another user other than the administrator. In such an embodiment, the status query message sent from the administrator may include identity information that uniquely identifies one or more users. In response to receiving the status inquiry message from the administrator, the document processor extracts status information for each user identified in the status inquiry message, and then retrieves the status information to the client (the target for which the administrator sent the star inquiry message). Client).

  In one embodiment, the administrator may be required to authenticate with the client before the administrator sends a status inquiry message that inquires about status or other users. Alternatively, the administrator may need to be authenticated at the document processing device before the document processing device processes a status inquiry message from the administrator asking for status or other users.

<Check the performance of the document processing device>
In one embodiment, the client may confirm that a particular document processing device supports a particular function. For example, a user may only wish to issue a request to print an electronic document to a document processing device that supports the desired security function. Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention ensures that the document processing device supports the desired security features before issuing a request to print the electronic document to the document processing device.

  Before the client 110 sends a request to process an electronic document to the document processing device 120, the client 110 sends a function request message to the document processing device 120 in order to explain in detail how the embodiments of the present invention work. Send to. When the function request message is received, the document processing apparatus 120 transmits function (capability or performance) information to the client 110. The function information describes the current function of the document processing device 120 with respect to processing the document. For example, the function information may describe a current security function that is set to be provided by the document processing apparatus 120.

  When the client 110 receives the function information from the document processing apparatus 120, the client 110 checks whether the current function of the document processing apparatus 120 satisfies a desired condition for a request for processing an electronic document. If the current function of the document processing device 120 satisfies a desired condition for a request for processing an electronic document, the client 110 notifies the user that the desired function is valid, and requests that the electronic document be processed. Transmit to the processing device 120.

  However, if the current function of the document processing apparatus 120 does not satisfy a desired condition for a request for processing an electronic document, the client 110 processes a change request (change request) for changing the current function of the document processing apparatus 120. Sent to the device so that the function of the device meets the desired conditions for the request to process the electronic document. For example, the change request may specify that the security settings of the document processing device 120 are updated so that the document processing device 120 supports the specified security function. In response, the document processing device may send a message to the client indicating whether the current function of the processing device 120 has been updated as requested by the client 110 in the change request.

  If the current function of the document processing device 120 is updated as requested by the client 110 in the change request, the client 110 reports to the user that the desired function has been obtained and requested by the client 110 in the change request. A message is sent to the document processing device to instruct the document processing device 120 to update the current function. Further, after that, the client 110 transmits a request for processing the electronic document to the document processing apparatus 120.

  On the other hand, if the current function of the document processing apparatus 120 is not updated as requested by the client 110 in the change request, the client 110 uses the direction to the user that the desired function has not been obtained, and the client 110 Wait for further instructions from. For example, the user may designate another document processing device 120, a request to process the electronic document may be sent to the document processing device, and the user may need to process the electronic document. A group of desired functions may be updated. In this way, the client 110 may be assumed that the electronic document is processed by the electronic processing device with the desired functionality.

<Realization method>
Each of the client, document processing device, security server, and pluggable device may be included in a computer system. FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of a computer system 700 used in an embodiment of the present invention. Computer system 700 includes a bus 702 or other communication means for communicating information, and a processor 704 for processing information coupled with bus 702. Computer system 700 has a main memory 706 coupled to a bus 702 such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, which stores instructions and information executed by processor 704. Main memory 706 may be used to store temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions executed by processor 704. Computer system 700 further includes a read only memory (ROM) or other static storage device coupled to bus 702 that stores instructions and static information for processor 704. A storage device 710, such as a magnetic disk or other optical disk, is provided and coupled to the bus 702 for storing information and instructions.

  Computer system 700 is coupled via bus 702 to a display 712, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, and a surface-conduction electron emission display (SED), for displaying information to a user. May be. An input device 714 that includes alphanumeric and other keys is coupled to the bus 702 for notifying the processor 704 of information and command selections. Another type of user input device is a cursor control device 716 (eg, a mouse, trackball or cursor direction key) that notifies processor 704 of instruction information and command selection and controls cursor movement on display 712. . The input device typically has two degrees of freedom with two axes, a first axis (eg, x) and a second axis (eg, y), allowing the device to specify a position on the plane.

  The invention is related to the use of computer system 700 for implementing the techniques described herein. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, these techniques are performed by computer system 700 in response to processor 704 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in main memory 706. Such instructions may be read into main memory 706 from other machine-readable media such as storage device 710. Execution of the instruction sequence contained in main memory 706 causes processor 704 to perform the process steps described herein. In alternative embodiments, hardwired circuitry may alternatively be used or in combination with software instructions to implement the present invention. That is, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.

  The term “machine-readable medium” as used herein refers to any medium that is associated with providing data that causes a machine to operation in a specific fashion. Examples implemented using computer system 700 include various machine-readable media related to, for example, providing instructions to processor 704 for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device 710. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory 706. Transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire, and optical fiber, and includes the wires that make up bus 702. Transmission media may take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio wave and infrared data communications. All these media need to be implemented such that the instructions carried on the media are detected by physical means that read the instructions into the machine.

  The general form of machine readable medium is floppy disk, flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape or any other magnetic medium, CD-ROM or any other optical medium, punch card, paper tape or any other having a hole pattern It includes physical media, RAM, PROM, EPROM, flash EPROM and other memory chips, cartridges, carrier waves as described above, or any other medium that can be read by a computer.

  Various machine readable forms are also included in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to processor 704 for execution. For example, the instructions may initially be carried on a remote computer magnetic disk that is far away. The remote computer may load the instructions from its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. A modem near computer system 700 receives the data over a telephone line and converts the data to an infrared signal using an infrared transmitter. The infrared detector receives the data carried in the infrared signal and appropriate circuitry places the data on bus 702. The bus 702 carries data to the main memory 706, and the processor 704 extracts instructions from the main memory and executes them. The instructions received by main memory 706 may be selectively stored on storage device 710 either before or after execution by processor 704.

  Computer system 700 also includes a communication interface 718 coupled to bus 702. Communication interface 718 provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link 720 that is connected to a local network 722. For example, communication interface 718 may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card or modem that provides a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. In another example, communication interface 718 may be a LAN card that provides a data communication connection to a compatible LAN. A wireless link may be used. In any implementation, communication interface 718 sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals and carries digital data streams representing various types of information.

  Network link 720 typically provides data communication with other data devices via one or more networks. For example, the network link 720 provides a connection with a host computer 724 via a local network 722 or a connection with a data device operated by an Internet service provider (ISP) 726. ISP 726 then provides data communication services via a worldwide packet data communication network (commonly referred to today as Internet 728). Both the local network 722 and the Internet 728 use electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams. Signals over various networks and through communication interface 718 at network link 720 may take the form of a carrier wave that carries digital data to and from the computer system, for example, to transmit information.

  Computer system 700 sends messages and receives data, including program code, over a network, network link 720 and communication interface 718. In the Internet example, the server 730 may send the requested code for the application program via the Internet 728, ISP 726, local network 722 and communication interface 718.

  The received code is executed by processor 704 and stored as it is received and / or in storage medium 710 or other non-volatile memory for later execution. In this manner, computer system 700 may obtain application code in the form of a carrier wave.

  Thus, embodiments of the present invention have been described with various specific details that may vary from embodiment to embodiment. The subject of the exclusive exclusivity, which is intended to be the present invention in the present application, is set forth in the group of claims of the present application, which claims include any future amendments. Any terms expressly defined herein for terms contained in such claims shall govern the meaning of the terms as used in the claims. Accordingly, no limitation, requirement, attribute, feature, advantage or property that is not expressly recited in a claim should limit the scope of such claim in any way. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

It is a block diagram which shows the system example by 1st Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the system example by 2nd Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the system example by 3rd Example of this invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating functional steps for confirming whether the configuration state of the printing apparatus has been changed. 6 is a flowchart in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention showing functional steps for confirming that a document processing device has received a request to process an electronic document from a particular client. 6 is a flowchart according to one embodiment of the present invention showing functional steps for confirming that a client has requested that an electronic document be processed by a particular document processing device. 6 is a flowchart according to an embodiment of the present invention showing functional steps for protecting a storage medium of a document processing apparatus. 1 is a block diagram of an example of a document processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a computer system used in an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

100 system 110, 112 client 120, 122 document processing device 130 security server 150, 152, 154 communication link 170 communication link 180 system 620 protected storage medium 630 password storage medium 700 computer system 702 bus 704 processor 706 main memory 708 read only Memory 710 Storage device 712 Display 714 Input device 716 Cursor control unit 718 Communication interface 720 Network link 722 Local network 724 Host 726 Internet service provider 728 Internet 730 Server

Claims (15)

A method for determining whether a configuration state of a document processing apparatus has changed,
Receiving from the document processing device first state data describing a first configuration state of the document processing device;
Transmitting a request for second state data to the document processing device in response to receiving a request from the requester to confirm that the configuration state of the document processing device has not changed from the first configuration state. When,
Receiving the second state data describing a second configuration state of the document processing device from the document processing device, wherein the second state data is received after receiving the first state data; ,
Comparing the first state data and the second state data and checking whether the first state data and the second state data specify the same configuration state of the document processing apparatus;
Transmitting a message to the request source indicating whether the configuration state of the document processing apparatus has changed from the first configuration state based on a comparison of the first state data and the second state data. When,
Have a, if the configuration state of the document processing device has been changed from the first configuration state, it is not permitted to issue a request to process an electronic document to the document processing device, processes the electronic document The method is proposed to the user to issue the request to other document processing devices .   The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration state of the group of document processing devices includes a security state of a printing device. The first state data and the second state data are encrypted upon reception, and the method includes:
The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting information used to encrypt the first state data and the second state data to the document processing device. Sending a status inquiry message to the document processing device;
Receiving from the document processing device information about the status of a request to process an electronic document transmitted to the document processing device;
The method of claim 1 further comprising: Sending a function request message to the document processing device;
Receiving from the document processing device information about a current function of the document processing device;
The method of claim 1 further comprising: A machine readable medium carrying one or more instruction sequences for determining whether a configuration state of a document processing device has changed, wherein the one or more instruction sequences include:
Receiving from the document processing device first state data describing a first configuration state of the document processing device;
Transmitting a request for second state data to the document processing device in response to receiving a request from the requester to confirm that the configuration state of the document processing device has not changed from the first configuration state. When,
Receiving the second state data describing a second configuration state of the document processing device from the document processing device, wherein the second state data is received after receiving the first state data; ,
Comparing the first state data and the second state data and checking whether the first state data and the second state data specify the same configuration state of the document processing apparatus;
Transmitting a message to the request source indicating whether the configuration state of the document processing apparatus has changed from the first configuration state based on a comparison of the first state data and the second state data. When,
If the configuration state of the document processing apparatus has changed from the first configuration state, it is not permitted to issue a request to process the electronic document to the document processing apparatus. A machine-readable medium in which a user is suggested to issue the request to process an electronic document to another document processing device . The machine-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the configuration state of the group of document processing devices includes a security state of a printing device. The first state data and the second state data are encrypted when received, and the machine-readable medium is:
The machine-readable medium of claim 6 , further causing one or more processors to perform the step of transmitting information used to encrypt the first state data and the second state data to the document processing device. Sending a status inquiry message to the document processing device;
Receiving from the document processing device information about the status of a request to process an electronic document transmitted to the document processing device;
7. The machine-readable medium of claim 6 , further causing one or more processors to execute. Sending a function request message to the document processing device;
Receiving from the document processing device information about a current function of the document processing device;
The machine-readable medium of claim 6 further comprising: An apparatus for determining whether the configuration state of the document processing apparatus has changed,
A machine readable medium carrying one or more instruction sequences;
One or more processors;
And the one or more instruction sequences are:
Receiving from the document processing device first state data describing a first configuration state of the document processing device;
Transmitting a request for second state data to the document processing device in response to receiving a request from the requester to confirm that the configuration state of the document processing device has not changed from the first configuration state. When,
Receiving the second state data describing a second configuration state of the document processing device from the document processing device, wherein the second state data is received after receiving the first state data; ,
Comparing the first state data and the second state data and checking whether the first state data and the second state data specify the same configuration state of the document processing apparatus;
Transmitting a message to the request source indicating whether the configuration state of the document processing apparatus has changed from the first configuration state based on a comparison of the first state data and the second state data. When,
If the configuration state of the document processing apparatus has changed from the first configuration state, it is not permitted to issue a request to process the electronic document to the document processing apparatus. A device that is proposed to a user to issue the request to process an electronic document to another document processing device. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the configuration state of the group of document processing devices includes a security state of a printing device. The first state data and the second state data are encrypted when received, and the device
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising the step of causing the one or more processors to send information used to encrypt the first state data and the second state data to the document processing apparatus. Sending a status inquiry message to the document processing device;
Receiving from the document processing device information about the status of a request to process an electronic document transmitted to the document processing device;
The apparatus of claim 11 , further causing the one or more processors to execute. Sending a function request message to the document processing device;
Receiving from the document processing device information about a current function of the document processing device;
The apparatus of claim 11 , further causing the one or more processors to execute.

Images